Brake and motor control device



Oct. 19, 1943. L N VAUGHN 2,332,122

BRAKE AND MOTOR CONTROL-DEVICE Filed Feb. l0, 1941 Patented Oct. 19, 1943 c i 2,332,122 v enana AAND MOTOR CONTROL DEVICE s Isaac Newton Vaughn, Bell, Calif. inmiiaanim February 1o, 1941, Serin N0.-37s,2a0.

f iol'aims; l(ci. 1232-3) The presentinvention relates generally to a foot control for the hydraulic brake operating means or connectionsof automobiles and other motor vehicles, and more particularly a device by which the motor ofthe Vehicle is ralso controlled in a manner which causes the motor to be cut down to idling lspeed whenever the brakes areapplied. l

Devices of the above nature have been proposed in forms more or less applicable to incorporation in a motor vehicle asa part of .its origi-` nal equipment, but it is one of the'primaryv objects of the present invention to provide a device which may be quickly and easily installed, at

minimum expense, and eiectively mounted, as i an attachment to motor vehicles already in use with separate, independent, brake and accelerator pedals. f

A further Object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the above nature, including a brake control arrangement which per- 'mits of, and provides for, an extremely simple,

positive and unfailing throttle controlmeans,

whereby the usual independent foot throttle mayv be entirely removed.

Among the further objects of the invention may be said to be the provision of a brake control arrangement permitting, and providing for,

compounding of the power of brake application, 'Y

reduction of the range and pressureof foot control movement in the operation of the brake pedal, and variation in the swing of the brake pedal so that it moves bodily as well as pivotally, giving it a falling movement which follows the normal, natural line of foot travel of thejve-v,

hicle operator.

A still further obect may be said to be the close coupling of the relatively movable control parts affecting brake application and throttle control, in a manner which admits of ready adjustment and replacement of such parts, and provides for their continuous, effective operation practical application of the invention in connection with a motor vehicle.l

Figure 2 is an enlarged View, particularly showing the brake controlmeans with a form of brake control connections, the several parts be- .ing` in the neutralor inactive position.

'y Figure 3 is a similar view ofthe brake contro-l means, with the parts in the positioneiecting brake application.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective View of certain g parts thereof, removed.

Figure 5 is a sectonalview throughv certain of the parts of Figure 2, taken substantially on line 5-5 of said iigure, and,

Figure 6 is a'fdetail perspective View of the bracket arm of Figures 2 and 3.

' Referring now to the several iigures. of the drawing, and more particularly to Figure 1,'the present invention in its adaptation as a readily and quickly applicable attachment or accessory to a motor vehicle, contemplates the employment of a normally upright brake actuatingfoo-t lever 26, preferablyhavin'g'an angular upper end portion adapted to upstand thro-ugh a slotted open-A,

ing2l in the floorrboard 22 of a motor vehicle. This opening 2l may be anextension, or enlarge ment, of the usual slotted opening accommodatingthe upwardly and rearwardly'exten'ding portions of the ordniary brake lever. Preferably the oor treadle or plate 24 is intermediately pivoted at 23 upon the upper end of the upper angular portion of ylever 20, so that it may moveor swing e therewithr and as aV part thereof, during brake application, and pivot thereon for movement independently thereof during normal throttle control. l n 'l Y Preferably, also, the above parts are arranged so the upper'end of lever 20, and its pivoted foot plate 2li,V standin a position relative to the operatoriofv the vehicle, somewhat` below the position ordinarily occupied'by the usual brake lever, so that its dual useiwill be more convenient and comfortable. f

Theinvention also contemplatesr that, for the support ofthe brake actuating foot lever 20, a short supporting' bracket 28 may be rigidly secured, for example to the lower surface of the oor board 22, by any means suitable to the anchoring of the said bracket along one lower side of the floor board opening 2l, as plainly seen in' Figure 1. g

The lever 20 of the present invention has a vfulcrum 36 intermediate its ends on the bracket 28,y and its lower: end maydepend belowr said bracketto'provide for? the attachment of one end' of a controlling spring 3|, the other end of which may be suitably anchored on a portion of the motor vehicle so that its tension constantly urges the lever in a direction to swing its upper end portion rearwardly to a normal upright, neutral position, as shown inFgures 1 and 2.

The control parts as thus generally mounted or anchored in connection with the vehicle by, and upon, the bracket 28, are disposed in many instances rearwardly of the master cylinder of the hydraulic brake system of the vehicle. This cylinder is not shown in Figure 1, but does appear in Figure 2, where it is indicated at 32, for further reference hereinafter.

The lever 20 has intermediate its ends a` slotted opening 33 inclined with respect to its longitudinal axis in a forwardly and downwardly direction. Through this slot the fulcrum bolt 30 is extended and securely fixed at its ends to the bracket 28 and a bracket arm 34, so that the lever 20 is free to pivot on the bolt 30 and slide in an up and down, laterally shifting movement, between said bracket and bracket arm. Above its slot 33 the lever 20 has laterally projecting arms 35 rigidly secured thereto, and outstanding therefrom, and

to the free ends of which arms, the upper end l of a relatively short compounding lever 36 is pivotally connected, as by means of a pivot bolt 31.

The lever 3S is fulcrumed intermediate its ends upon a bolt 38 which is xed through the'bracket 28 and bracket arm` 34 ataI point laterally, rearwardly of the pivot bolt 30. The bolt 38 may be locked by a nut 39 as seen in Figure 5. At its lower end, lever 36 is in pivotal connection with the rear end of a connecting rod 40 or other suitable connecting member through which movement of the said lever may be communicated to the master cylinder plunger.

In the present exempliiication of the invention,

the connecting rod 40 is shown with its forward end pivotally connected to the upper end of an intermediately pivoted lever 4I, whose lower end is similarly connected with the plunger rod 44 of the master cylinder 32 as in Figure 2. In this way the connecting rods 40 and 44 will usually Aand neutral or inactive position as in Figures 1 and 2. To the heel end of this foot plate, at 45, is pivotally connected the adjacent end of a control wire 46 which is slidable through a flexible sheath 41. The sheath is extended forwardly to a point adjacent-to the throttle of the motor, and here the forward end of thecontrol wire is connected to a spring controlled throttle actuating lever 48 for actuating the throttle valve indicated at 49 in Figure 1.- These` connections may displace the usual and well known wire and sheath control connection `commonly leading from the accelerator pedal to the throttle, but in the present instance the sheath 41 is attached at its rear end to the lever 20, as plainly seen in Figure 2, and is otherwise free to move bodily with the brake applying and releasing movements of this lever. As seen in Figure l, the control wire 46 and its sheath 41 are extended in a substantially` position of the brake lever 20, so that by tilting the toe portion of the plate forwardly, the wire 46 is pulled rearwardly to open the throttle. This can only take place as long as brake lever 20, in its normal position, maintains the throttle control unit, consisting of tiltable foot plate 24, wire 46 and sheath 41, at a definite distance rearwardly of the throttle lever 48. When the brake lever is shifted forwardly to brake applying position, the throttle control unit is bodily shifted toward the throttle, and the flexible wire 46 and sheath 41 are moved to a position where the wire can only inuence the throttle to closed position, and is ineffective to open the throttle by tilting movements of the foot plate. For the foregoing purpose, it is contemplated that the sheath 41, which is connected at its rear end to the brake applying lever 20, shall have no other connection with any part of the apparatus such as to prevent its lengthwise movement forwardly and rearwardly when the brake applying lever is moved to effective brake-applying position, and released for return movement, although said sheath may be guided in its movement through any suitable bracket on the vehicle motor at a point spaced from the carburetter.

In the foregoing mannen during any brake applying movements of the brake lever 20, the throttle control connections are shifted to a position which unfailingly frees the throttle valve from any control by the foot plate 24 until the lever 20 returns to normal position.

As to the brake control parts, it is apparent that as the brake lever 2U swings forwardly it also lowers bodily by reason of its slot 33, so that the pivot 31 connecting the two levers 20 and 3b' gradually approaches closer and closer to the fulcrum 3D of lever 2d, and the power through lever 36, against the plunger of the master cylinder, gradually increases, until the fulcrum bolt 3G is at the upper end of the slot 33. n this operation the brake lever 20 has a falling forward movement rather than a true swing, which enables the operator to use a powerful leg pressure in a normal, natural line from the operators seat.

Since the flexible control wire 46 and its flexible sheath 41 are bodily shifted toward the throttle valve during brake application, it is plain that the throttle control cannot be restored, alter brake application has once started, until the brake control parts are released and return to the normal position of Figures l and 2. Any danger of opening of the throttle valve during brake application is, in this way, avoided without resorting to locking means or otherwise interfering with frecdornof the foot plate 24 to rock during brake application as well as dining throttle control. Its rocking movements are simply rendered ineifective for throttle control during brake application.

Thus, among other things, the invention provides a dual control which may be fully assembled and applied as a unit to a motor car, to thus render the installation quicker, easier and less expensive than other devices of its general character heretofore proposed. One way in which installation of the unit has been disclosed, but it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particular connections shown and described as leading to the throttle valve 49 and the master cylinder plunger 44 as these may, of necessity be varied in accordance with the various makes of motor cars.

3.A In a device for actuating the brake operaty Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device for actuating the brake operating means of a motor vehicle, an upstanding foot lever, pivot means intermediate the ends of said lever and with respect to which the lever is sWingy able and at the same 'time shiftable in the direction of its length, a second relatively short lever ing means ofa motor Vehicle, an'upstanding foot lever having a `slotted' opening.r therein arranged i vat an angle to its longitudinal axis, a pivot mernalongside the lower portion of the foot lever, Y

ly connecting the second lever below its pivot with l the brake operating means. 2. In a device for actuating the brake operating means of a motor vehicle, an upstanding foot lever, pivot means intermediate the ends of said lever and with respect to which the lever is swingable and shitable in the dinectionof its length, a second relatively short lever along a portion of said foot lever and pivotally connected at its upper end to said foot lever above the pivot of the latter, means forming a fixed pivot for said second lever intermediate its ends, and means connecting the lower end of said second lever with the brake operating means.

ber extending through 'said slot and on which the lever is shiftable in the direction of its length during swinging movements thereof, a relatively short intermediately pivoted lever alongside a portion of said foot lever, means forming a pivotal iconnection between one end of said second lever and the foot lever at a point spaced lengthwise from the vslot of the latter, and means operatively connecting the other end portion of said second lever with the brake operating means.

4. In a device for actuating the brake operating means of a motor vehicle,` an upstanding foot lever having a slotted opening therein arranged at an angle to its longitudinal axis,"a pivot member extending through said slot' and on which the lengthwise of the latter a'bove its pivot, and means operatively connecting the lower end portion of said second lever with the brake operating means'.

ISAAC NEWTON VAUGHN. 

